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West Bromwich Albion v Crystal Palace
The Hawthorns, West Bromwich. 1st February 2005, 7.45pm.
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Match
Preview
Result West Bromwich Albion 2 - 2 Crystal Palace
Scorers Kevin Campbell (82)
Robert Earnshaw (90)		 Andrew Johnson (47)
Aki Riihilahti (90)
Attendance 25,092
Teams 4-4-2

1 - Russell Hoult (GK)
14 - Martin Albrechtsen
19 - Neil Clement
6 - Darren Purse
3 - Paul Robinson
2 - Riccardo Scimeca
24 - Ronnie Wallwork
8 - Jonathan Greening
21 - Kevin Campbell
11 - Zoltan Gera
9 - Geoff Horsfield 		4-4-2

(GK) Gabor Kiraly - 28
Emmerson Boyce - 21
Fitz Hall - 25
Mikele Leigertwood - 12
Gonzalo Sorondo - 26
Gary Borrowdale - 18
Michael Hughes - 17
Wayne Routledge - 7
Tom Soares - 19
Dougie Freedman - 9
Andrew Johnson - 8
Substitutes 29 - Tomasz Kuszczak (GK)
4 - Thomas Gaardsoe
15 - Kieran Richardson
34 - Robert Earnshaw
25 - Nwankwo Kanu 		(GK) Julian Speroni - 1
Darren Powell - 20
Vassilis Lakis - 32
Aki Riihilahti - 15
Wayne Andrews - 23
Substitutions R Earnshaw for G Horsfield (55)
K Richardson for M Albrechtsen (72) 		D Powell for D Freedman (13)
A Riihilahti for D Powell (86)
W Andrews for M Hughes (90)
Yellow Cards Zoltan Gera (85) None
Red Cards None Gonzalo Sorondo (12)
Referee D Gallagher (Banbury)
We all know it's never easy being a Baggies fan, but last night it was particularly difficult. Dramatic it certainly was; injury time was not so much a roller coaster ride as a bungee jump in reverse, so quick was the turnaround.

As expected, Robson brought Campbell back into the side having been rested for the Cup match against Spurs - less expected was Horsfield as his strike partner. But with the height in the Palace side, another big man was not a bad idea. New boy Kieran Richardson made the bench although Chaplow was signed too late for him to be eligible.

Albion started brightly and it was Zoltan Gera that had the first effort on goal when he nutmegged Borrowdale and fired in a fierce shot that clipped the top of the bar. But the game changed on 12 minutes when referee Dermot Gallagher made a very controversial decision. Horsfield ran through and just got to the ball near the left corner of the penalty area before Sorondo, and the Uruguayan brought the Albion striker down. It was certainly a foul, but Horsfield was going away from goal and had overhit the ball - Gallagher decided it was a clear goalscoring opportunity and sent Sorondo off.

It was now a completely different game. Dowie sacrificed former Dingle Dougie Freedman for defender Darren Powell, and Palace were content to sit and defend.

Albion struggled to get going with their main creative threat of recent games, Jonathan Greening, seemingly unable to beat the Palace right back Emmerson Boyce and consequently largely ineffective. Gera was Albion's liveliest player and he went close with a curler from 20 yards. Campbell also went close on a couple of occasions, the second a free header just six yards out from a Darren Purse cross. Purse himself missed a good chance with a header and Horsfield was denied by an excellent challenge from Powell after being put through by Scimeca.

Albion dominated possession, but Palace did manage a few chances themselves. Powell had a good chance from Routledge's corner that he headed straight at Hoult, and Clement had to be on hand to make an excellent tackle to dispossess Leigertwood as he went through on goal.

Gallagher continued to upset both sets of fans with some bizarre decisions but then bottled what should've been a second red card for Palace just before the break. Greening was breaking through into the box when Powell caught his leg and sent him sprawling - Gallagher did not even award a free kick. It was a dreadful decision.

The second half started disastrously for the Baggies after a monumental mistake from skipper Darren Purse. He was well positioned for a long clearance from Kiraly, but for some reason decided to duck under the ball to let it through to Hoult, but Andy Johnson nipped in and headed the ball over the advancing 'keeper to give Palace an undeserved lead. Whether Purse was trying to back-head the ball, I'm not sure, but it was a terrible error. For the next few minutes, it seemed to have affected him as he looked nervous and edgy, but he did regain his composure and didn't put a foot wrong for the rest of the game - unfortunately, the damage was done.

So what was proving a difficult task already now looked nigh on impossible. Robson soon replaced the ineffective Horsfield with Earnshaw, and Albion prepared to lay siege on the Palace goal. They started to create chances with Robinson forcing a good save out of Kiraly and Campbell desperately unlucky to see his delicate shot strike the post with the Hungarian 'keeper beaten.

Greening was having a better second half as he linked up well with Robinson, and often cut inside to find space. Gera was also combining well with Albrechtsen on the right, and Kiraly's international captain continued to be the main spark for Albion's attacks.

Hoult had to save sharply from Fitz Hall's header, pushing it against the post, in a rare Palace attack but the hosts continued to dominate possession.

But as Albion seemed to be running out of ideas, Robson gave new boy Richardson his chance bringing him on to replace Albrechtsen. Scimeca went to right back and Richardson joined Wallwork in the middle of the park. And it made a big difference.

Richardson looked very assured on the ball and sprayed the ball around well finding the men in space. There were a couple of long range efforts from Gera and Greening that Kiraly kept out, but then with eight minutes to go, Albion finally broke through. Gera fired a dangerous cross into the box; Powell deflected it goalwards and although Kiraly parried, Campbell was on hand to bundle the ball into the net.

Suddenly, Albion were fired up and pushing for the winner. Earnshaw was putting in one of his best performances with some great touches and turns in the area, and he looked to have given Albion the win they desperately needed in the first minute of added time. It was Campbell that put him through with a neat pass and, with the linesman giving the Welshman the benefit of the doubt in what was a very close offside call, Earnie produced a superb finish to lift the ball over Kiraly and inside the far post.

Palace's time-wasting worked in their favour, however, when they were awarded what seemed like an innocuous free kick near the halfway line in the final minute of injury time. Albion were maybe a little deep but they should've cleared the ball. A long ball came off Wallwork's head and then everything fell for Palace. To be honest, from that point on, there was no Albion player in a position to clear the ball. It fell for Riihilahti and he was able to poke the ball goalwards. Albion can feel aggrieved in that as Gera was attempting an overhead kick to clear off the line, Fitz Hall jumped on him in attempt to head the ball home - he failed to make contact which makes it a foul in my book, but Gallagher, who had spent the entire second half trying to make up for the poor sending off decision by giving Palace everything, gave the goal.

So Albion fail to win the first of the Big Three, but at least they didn't lose and thereby keep Palace in sight. They must quickly forget this game and not let it affect them as they go to Norwich for the second huge game. Without another Premiership game this month after Saturday, it's vital to get three points at Carrow Road.


Marks

Russell Hoult - 6 - Didn't have much to do but was perhaps a little eager for the first goal.
Martin Albrechtsen - 7 - Decent performance.
Neil Clement - 7 - Another good display from Clem.
Darren Purse - 5 - Dreadful error; otherwise did OK.
Paul Robinson - 7 - Defended well and linked up well with Greening.
Riccardo Scimeca - 7 - One of his best games for some time.
Ronnie Wallwork - 6 - Slightly below what we've seen of late, but did OK.
Jonathan Greening - 6 - Well shackled in the first half; improved in the second.
Kevin Campbell - 6 - Worked hard, on hand to score, but missed a great chance earlier.
Zoltan Gera - 8 - MOM. Source of most Albion attacks; very good display.
Geoff Horsfield - 5 - Didn't get much joy against a stern Palace defence.

Robert Earnshaw - 8 - Did very well when he came on; looked dangerous and scored a great goal.
Kieran Richardson - 7 - Impressive debut; looked very composed and comfortable.

Bryan Robson - 7 - Maybe could've changed things earlier, but he must be utterly devastated to see his side to throw away two vital points.


Jon Want, 2nd February 2005.
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